Impacts of NRCS Conservation Programs in New York State | NRCS Economics

Impacts of NRCS Conservation Programs in New York State

Updated
08/25/2009

Wetlands Reserve Program

The Wetlands Reserve Program is one of the larger programs in New York. During
FY ‘99 alone, 3.1 million dollars were spent on financial assistance for the
program, 198 contracts were approved and 7,572 acres of agricultural wetlands
were committed to wetland restoration. The impact of these activities translates
into 44 jobs created by the program and 6 million dollars in increased sales of
locally purchased goods and services across the state. Restoration measures
(including low berms, ditch plugs, potholes, level ditches, and plantings) also
lead to improvements in water quality, ecological support of threatened and
endangered species, fisheries, aesthetics, and recreation including hunting and
wildlife observation. A recent survey reported that over 600,000 people hunt in
New York and over three million participate in wildlife observation activities
on an annual basis. Expenditures per person average $1,150 for hunters and $340
for wildlife watchers. The WRP supports these activities by providing additional
recreational opportunities closer to home. A second study suggests that these
recreational activities constitute a value of $21 per acre of wetland
translating into an annual benefit of $151,000 statewide due to restoration
activities during FY ‘99 alone.

Plant Materials Program

The plant materials program in New York serves states from Maine to West
Virginia by developing plants and new ways to use them in conservation
applications. The program consists of the plant materials center and plant
materials specialist teams. The New York team has released 18 plant varieties to
commercial production. During the 1999 fiscal year alone, $1,000,000 was
generated through the sale of these conservation plants from commercial
nurseries and seed companies. This revenue resulted in an additional $800,000 in
the purchase of goods and services nationwide. The benefits of these plants go
far beyond their commercial success as they work to stabilize streambanks,
provide food and shelter for threatened and endangered wildlife species and
conserve the soil on badly eroded cropland. In this way, the plant materials
program supports and contributes to the success of all other programs
administered by the NRCS in New York by making these plants available to solve
resource problems.

Forestry Incentives Program

The Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) is authorized under the Cooperative
Forestry Act of 1978. The program is designed to apply forestry for
reforestation, timber stand improvement, and the conservation and wise
management of forest and related land, water, wildlife, and recreation
resources. The main program objective is to increase the national supply of
timber products from non-industrial private forestlands (NIPF). Program benefits
include watershed protection, wildlife habitat enhancement and establishment,
and improved forest growth by concentrating the site qualities on the most
promising trees in a stand. This latter benefit may also have an effect on
increasing carbon sequestration through more vigorous growth and healthier
forest stands. FIP in New York was directed to seven high priority counties
during FY ‘99. Through this program, NRCS secured 31 contracts on 430.5 acres.
The $31,000 obligated by the program was used for timber stand improvement
activities such as tree thinning. These expenditures resulted in $55,000 in
economic activity throughout the state.

Conservation Reserve Program

The Conservation Reserve Program in New York has attracted participants from
throughout the state with over 55,000 acres enrolled in the program as of
October 1, 1999. Most of this land has been seeded to permanent grasses
including native warm season grass species. Tree plantings, riparian forest
buffers and filter strips have been used by program participants in New York as
well. All of these practices have resulted in reduced soil erosion, improved
water quality and fisheries, increased recreational opportunities, increased
carbon sequestration, and more diverse wildlife habitat on some of the state’s
most vulnerable cropland. In addition, the removal of New York’s most erosive
and least profitable cropland from production has reduced erosion by 288,000
tons statewide and has improved the net returns to cropland still in production.
Total federal expenditures for the program were about 3 million generating $3.7
million in local sales statewide and creating 37 new jobs across the state.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Projects for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have been
implemented throughout the state since its inception in 1997. Almost 300
contracts were written for the program during FY ‘99 alone. Most of these
contracts call for practices focusing on nutrient management and erosion control
measures. About 3.3 million in federal dollars came in to the state through this
program last year. Once the implementation dollars have been spent, New York
will see an additional $5.6 million in economic activity and 25 more jobs
statewide. These benefits to the economy of New York State are secondary to the
widespread environmental and recreational benefits that are accruing due to EQIP.
The number two industry in New York is tourism, aided in part by the state’s
abundant series of clean lakes and streams. In addition to maintaining
agricultural viability, implementation of agricultural conservation practices
enhances recreational opportunities and tourism as well by helping to maintain
the purity of the state’s valuable water resources

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

The focus for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program in New York is to restore
and establish grassland habitat for songbirds. It has been documented that New
York has lost thousands of acres of this habitat in the last 15 to 20 years
alone. This change in land use has resulted in a decline in song birds enjoyed
by both urban and rural residents alike. Furthermore, the decline in certain
species of song birds has led to a corresponding decline in wildlife diversity
which can have long term adverse impacts on the survival of other species of
wildlife. Given this focus for the program, the primary practices funded are the
planting and management of warm and cool season grasses. During the most recent
fiscal year, 82 new contracts were signed obligating nearly $400,000 in
implementation costs and technical assistance. This influx of federal spending
leads to $640,000 in local sales.

Small Watersheds Program (PL-566)

Since 1954, over twenty projects have been constructed under the Small
Watersheds Program in New York. The majority of these projects were designed and
built to alleviate flooding and have benefited communities across the state
through flood protection and, in some cases, recreational opportunities they
offer. In the case of a single storm (Hurricane Floyd), four completed flood
control projects accrued over 16 million dollars in benefits because of the
flooding that didn’t occur when the storm tore through the southeastern portion
of the state. At the same time, the federal investment for new projects in New
York last year was only $2.7 million. This spending resulted in 26 jobs across
the state and local sales of $3.3 million. When the benefits attributable to
Hurricane Floyd are added to the equation, the increase in local sales for the
PL 566 program is $22 million statewide.

Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative

New York State dairy and livestock producers once again benefited during this
past year from the activities and efforts funded through the Grazing Lands
Conservation Initiative (GLCI). The NRCS earmark of $365,000 was allocated to
increase the amount of grazing land information, education and technical
assistance reaching New York State dairy and livestock producers. This funding
resulted in twelve new jobs in the state and $700,000 in economic activity.
Beyond the economic benefits, the program reached nearly 60 NRCS, SWCD, and CCE
employees as well as over 2,000 dairy and livestock producers who attended GLCI
sponsored grassland-based livestock production systems training programs,
pasture walks and seminars in 81 locations across the state. Over 4,000 acres of
prescribed grazing management have been planned with 2,300 acres of
implementation already in place.

The result of all of this implementation is an increase in grassland agriculture
which benefits the environment through reduced erosion and sedimentation and
reduced energy costs for feed production. The farmer realizes concrete benefits
as well with lower production costs resulting in annual net profits of $80 to
$300 per cow.

The short write-ups were develop for local usage by Flo Swartz,
NY State Economist. The calculations are available in the worksheet,
NY
Program Impacts, (XLS, 100KB).